Multiple electric switch.



UNITED STATES ITENT OFFICE..

`HERMAN J. S. LEWIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOE 'EO JOHN H. DALE, OF

NEW Yorin, N. Y.

MULTIPLE ELECTRIC SWBTCHL,

Application filed August 9,

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANJ. S. Lewis, citizen of the United States,residing at the city of New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multi-yple Electric Switch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to a multiple switch for incandescent lamps andother electrical appliances where it is desired to switch any vide thesimplicity of operation wh.

desired number of circuits into and out of action. l

lThe principal object of the invention is toy provide a switch which isadapted by the rotary movement of a single part toL move a number ofswitch-levers successively into circuit-closing relation. I further aimto release all of the switch-levers simultaneously when desired, and,nally, to have both the circuit-closing and circuit-opening movementstake place very quickly tor each switch-lever, so that the circuits arebroken abruptly and dangerous or destructive arcs prevented.

With these'and other objects in view the invention consists, in thecombination of parts and features of construction hereinafter set forthand claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view with part of the casing brokenaway, showinga multiple switch embodying the principles of my invention.Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in thedirect'ionof the arrow. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing theswitch-levers in circuit-closing relation. Fig. 4 is a sectional view onthe line i 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 isa view from the right-hand side in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view,

and Fig. 7 is a detail view, showing the spiral 4 spring which isutilized in the construction.

For the purposes of private dwellings it is ordinarily impracticable 'tohave switchboards and panel-boards to control the various circuits.v Theknife-blade switch is, however, best adapted for controlling circuitswhere there is considerable aniperage, since it makes good slidingcontact with' low resistance, has a widethrow to separate the parts, andis capable of moving quickly. order to retain all of the advantages c 4,c knife-blade switch and at the same time Specification of LettersPatent.

natented Feb. 12, 190?.

1906. Serial llo 329,841.

necessary in a dwelling, I inclose a number of Yspecially-constructsdknife blade switches within an insulating-bor; and have a cam operatedby' an ordinary button Jfor moving the various kniice-blade switchesVexactly as they'were directly manipulated by a skilled electrician.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like parts arel designated bythe same reference-sign, l indicates the box of housing` oi porcelain orinsulating material, which may be opened at one side 2 to receive theswitch and mechanism.

3 indicates a base which is inset in the open side 2 oiQ the boi: andwhich may be secured in place by bolts e, passed through the box andbase.

'ihe knife-blade switches are designated 5, all pivoted at a centralpoint 6 to standards 7 on the base 8.

8 and 9 indicate contact-plates for both ends of the imite-bl adeswitches. rihese plates are disposed in rows on the base 3, so as to lie4in the path of the switch-levers 5.y

i0 and il indicate terminal clips respectively connected to the plates 8and 9 from which any desired circuit-connections may be made. dournaledon an aids in proz" -ity to switcl evers 5 there is provided a cam inthe lorm oiF a block oi' insulating mat with a cylindrical and cut-awayportici. adapte-l to move the various switch-levers. rilhis cam orrotary block i2 is loose on a spindie i3, but is constrained againstlongitudinal rn `vement by certain parts hereinafter desc e l. 'illespindle and block l2 are, however, capable of being clutched together bya l5 on the spindle, which may enter notches l5 in a small collar i6,fixed to the block. r@he spindle is normally impelled into t isclutching relation by a spring l? fit one end of the spindle oppositethe clutch l5 there is a sleeve i8 with a milled button i9 and r1- 'chis spil-ned to the spindle 2i mdicates a ratchet-wheel on the-sleevewhich is consti1 led against reverse movement by a spring-pand 22 l 'nthis means rotarily in one i9; but the the cam or block 12 may be turnedby the The cam or block is formed differently at different Zones orsections along its length corresponding to the various switch-levers 5..The form corresponding to the first switch-lever of the series isclearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the practical construction acylindrical surface 27- is interrupted by' a notch 28, having onesubstantially radial wall 29, at the outside edge of which. is aroundedprotuberance 30. Each of the switch-levers 5 carries a pivoted finger31, which is capable of certain limited movement. In the constructionshown the movement is limited by a portion. 32 of the fmger which movesin contact with the surfaces 33 and 34 of the switch-lever. The relationis such that the point 35 of the finger is capable of moving intoopposite tangential directions on the surface 27 of the cam or block 12.The second,l third, and fourth switch-levers have pivoted .fingers inall respects similar to the finger 3l of the first lever 5. 'Ihe cam orblock 12 also has zones or sections for the respective switchlevers,which are exactly like the first section, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,except that the notch 28 is Wider in the case of each successiveswitch-lever of the series. The walls of the notches for the second,third, and fourth switch-levers are` designated by dotted lines in Figs..2 and 3. l

36 indicates springs connected to the various switchlevers and whichnormally impel them into circuit-closing relation and in a direction tobear the finger 31 against the cam or block 12.

The operation is as follows: I will imagine all of the switch-levers tobe in vcircuit-opening relation, as shown in Fig. 2, and that it isdesired to close the circuit of the fourth switch-lever. For thispurpose the button 19 is turned in the direction permitted by theratchet 21, which has the efl'ect of turning the cam or block 12 in the'direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. After a certain distance of movementthe protuberance 30A1 comes into contact with the finger 35 of thefourth lever of the series. rlhe first effect of this protuberance is toswing the pivoted finger 31 toward the right in Fig. 2, after which thepivoted finger drops into the notch 284, corresponding to the fourthswitch-lever. rl`he fourth circuit is now closed and the third, second,and first switch-levers are thereafter successively tripped into action.The relation of parts just after the last switch-lever has moved isshown in Fig. 3. It will be seen that the finger 31 is so directed thatit acts as a detent and drops freely past the radial wall 29 of thenotch. This is by reason of the fact that it has been previously movedinto such relation by its engagement withthe protuberance 30. All of theswitch.- levers are now in circuit-closing relation. The switch-leversare all moved into circuitopening relation at the same time bydepressing the spindle 13 inward. For this purpose the end of thespindle projects beyond the button 19, as shown at 37, Where it may beprovided with any suitable insulatingbutton of ornamental character.When the spindle is depressed inward, the clutch 15 15 is released andthe spring 23 impels the spring or block 12 in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 3. The rst effect of this rotation is to swing the pivotedfinger 31 of the first switch-lever 5 back'into the relation shown inFig. 2'. Thereafter the surface 38 of this finger acts as a cam-surface,so that the same is depressed by the rotation of the block 12 andtheswitch-lever is pressed into circuit-opening relation. By the timethe block 12 is returned to its initial position all of theswitch-levers will have been so impelled to open their respectivecircuits. It will be observed that since the return motion of the block12 is a spring-impelled movement the opening of the circuits at all ofthe switch-levers will be very rapid.

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Thus I secure the separate manipulation of 1 all the switch-levers andan abrupt movement in their.circu1t-closing and circuitopening actionall by the manipulation of a single button and a release-spindle. Anadditional feature of the arrangement is that it is impossible tomanipulate the button 19 so as not to get an abrupt movement for closingthe circuits and an abrupt movement for opening them.

In practice the various contact-plat es 8 are separated by insular'ing-part it ions 40, which are conveniently made of porcelain integrallywith the base 3. The terminals 10 are also separated byinsulating-partitions 41. hs many of these insulating-partitions may beprovided as required g but it is ordinarily sufficient for all practicalrequirements to provide merely the ones above mentioned.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a n' ul'liple electricswitch, a plurality of pivoted switch-levers, springs for impelling saidlevers normally into circuit-closing relation, and a cam having areverse movenient; for actuating the switches into circuitopening andcircuit-closing relation respectively.

2. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality ling said levers normallyinto circuit-closing relation, and a cam having a reverse movement foractuating the switches simultaneously into circuit-opening andsuccessively into circuit-closing relation.

3. In a multiple electric switch, a rotarilymounted insulating cam, aplurality of switch-levers in the path of said cam and adapted to betripped into circuit-closing relation thereby, and means for irnpellingsaid cam to have an abrupt rotary movement whereby said levers are movedinto circuitopening relation.

` 4. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality of knife-bladeswitch-levers adapted to clcse a plurality of independent circuits, abutton for moving said levers into circuit-closing relation by an abruptmovementand another depressible button for moving them intocircuit-opening relation by 'an abrupt movement.

5. In a multiple electric switch, a switchlever having a pivoted ingerthereon and a cam arranged to act upon said finger, whereby the sameacts as a detent to release the switch-lever, and has a cam-surface toreposition said lever' by reverse movement ot said cam.

6. In a multiple electric switch, a springimpelled switch-lever, afinger on said switchlever, a cam in the path of said finger andarranged to move the same in a direction to trip the switch-lever intoaction and reposition said lever by reverse movement of said cam. y

7. In a multiple electric swit ch, a plurality of switch-levers e'achhaving a pivoted finger thereon, a cam moving in the path of said ingersto successively trip the switch-levers into circuit-closing relation,and means for abruptly rotating the said cam in the reverse directionwhereby said levers are repositioned in 'circuit-opening. relation.

8. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality of 'switch-levers, a camspring-impelled in one direction and acting on said switch-lcvers tomove them into circuit-opening relation by such rotation, and means forrotating said cam in the other direction when desired, whereby theswitch-levers are successively tripped into circuit-closing relation.

9. In a multiple electric swit ch', a plurality of switch-levers, abutton for moving said switch-levers successively into circuit-closingrelation by continued rotation of said button, and separate depressiblemeans for simultaneously moving the switch-levers into circuit-openingrelation.

10. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality of switch-leversspring-impelled into circuit-closing relation, a button arranged to tripsaid levers successively into circuit-closing relation by continuedrotation of said button and separate depressible means for `impellingall of the switch-levers abruptly into circuit-opening relation.

11.v In a multiple electric switch, a plurality ot switch-leversspring-impelled into circuit-closing relation, means for tripping the'levers successively into such relation, and a separate spring connectedto impel the switch-levers into circuit-opening relation when released.

12. In a multiple electric switch, a lurality of switch-leversspring-inipelled into circuit-closing relation, a butt-on arranged totrip said levers successively into such relation, a spring forirnpellingsaid levers into circuit-opening relation, and a spindle coaxial withsaid button and adapted to release said last-mentioned spring wherebythe levers are simultaneously moved into circuitopening relation.

13. In a multiple electric switch, a spindle capable orn movement in onedirection, a cam on said spindle, and spring-impelled in the otherdirection, a clutch for connecting said spindle and cam, switch-leversin the path of said cam, and means for releasing said clutch.

14. In aA multiple electric switch, a plurality of switch-levers,springs for impelling the levers into circuit-closing relation, meansfor tripping the levers into such relation, and means for impelling theswitch-levers into circuit-opening relation by an abrupt movementagainst the tension of said springs.

15. In a multiple electric switch, a spindle capable of longitudinalmovement, a sleeve splined thereon and capable of rotary movement in onedirection, a cam on said spindle, and spring-impelled in one direction,a clutch connecting said spindle and cam and pivoted switch-levers inthe path of said cam.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HERMAN J. S. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

WALDO M. CHAPrN, WM. M. STOCKBRIDGE.

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